A variety of drugs are administered to a patient's lungs via inhalation. As in all medical-related applications, the overall cost associated with this administration of the drug is typically closely scrutinized and can affect the commercial viability of a given device. In this case, it is not so much the actual cost of the device itself, but the "costs" associated with the use of the device. That is, the "cost" of the device more specifically relates to how effective the device is in the administration of the drug to the patient's lungs. The more efficient the device is in this administration to the lungs, the less drug that is wasted which reduces the "cost" of the administration. Relatedly, the treatment time of the patient may also be reduced by a more effective drug administration to the lungs, which also reduces the "cost" of the administration.
Although there have been significant advances in devices of the noted type, optimal administration of drugs to a patient's lungs via inhalation has yet to be realized.